March 9, 2010
Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

 

Reading I
Daniel 3:25, 34-43

Azariah stood up in the fire and prayed aloud: "For your name's sake, O Lord, do not deliver us up forever,
or make void your covenant. Do not take away your mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, your beloved,
Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one, to whom you promised to multiply their offspring like the stars of heaven, or the sand on the shore of the sea. For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation,
brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins. We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader, no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.
But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received; as though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs, so let our sacrifice be in your presence today as we follow you unreservedly; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame. And now we follow you with our whole heart, we fear you and we pray to you. Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy. Deliver us by your wonders, and bring glory to your name, O Lord."

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9

R (6a) Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your kindness are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Gospel
Matthew 18:21-35

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him?
As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.' Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused.

Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?' Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart."

Reflection

Even if we are one family in Christ, there is something negative that can transpire in our midst. In our brokenness, we are bound to sin, offend and hurt one another. This is the reason that in today's gospel, we are all exhorted to confront and give each other unlimited forgiveness, the way God has forgiven us.

Forgiveness is one topic that has been lengthily discussed and time and again taken up in retreats and countless spiritual exercises. Yet it is something quite difficult for a lot of people to seriously practice even if one claims to be an obedient follower of Christ.  One may profess allegiance to the ONE True God whom one may say he loves and whose love he proclaims to the world, yet may despise a neighbor. When remorse for one's sins could hardly be seen and neither could restitution be offered, the heart of the aggrieved may harden such that a hurt becomes a grudge. When this happens, one may turn away from any possible reconciliation and may do what he abhors. He may fail to practice what he preaches and His actions and related witnessing become far from the ideal that have been set for a Christian disciple.

This is not how our Lord treats our sins. Despite the enormity of our sins, His forgiveness is unlimited and unconditional. Even if we keep on repeating the same offense, He seeks us to bring us back into His fold. He is patient with us. His love and understanding overflow endlessly as He completely forgives each time we fall and sin. He never looks back at our past indiscretions.

Because we were born in sin and we continue to sin against God and one another, God brings to light man’s continuing need for reconciliation. The one who is hurt and aggrieved should confront the offender in an effort to gain reconciliation. If the offender does not acknowledge his fault, one ought to bring other witnesses because reconciliation will never happen without the confession by the one at fault just as reconciliation cannot transpire without the forgiveness to be given by the one who is offended. The willingness of the aggrieved to approach the offender indicates one's willingness to forgive.

Forgive and forget is always everybody's advice to people who are hurt. But the advice does not become an antidote or remedy to any hurt neither does it turn into a healing balm when it does not flow from a sincere and repentant heart. Such an unforgiving heart will eventually flow into one's actions, one's words and one's witnessing. It can compound one’s sinfulness and may lead others to more sin. True forgiveness should come from the heart (authentic and consistent not only with God's Word but with our actions) which is only possible if we do it through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is unthinkable that those who are forgiven may fail to forgive. But nothing can be farther from the truth even within God's own Church! In our brokenness, we may only want to be forgiven yet we cannot forgive from the heart. Our forgiveness is highly conditional and we cannot forgive seventy times seven, even in the Name of our Lord!

Today, let us bare our souls to one another and seek God and His grace so that we may receive His compassion and in so doing be able to give love and understanding to those who have hurt us. Forgive and forget from the heart, in both word and deed is a must for all. This is all that we should desire!

Is there anyone we have not truly forgiven?

Direction
We should always aim at being better persons, at being reconciled with God's family and church.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that in time You will give me the healing grace to sincerely forgive and forget those who have hurt me. In Jesus I always hope and pray. Amen.